Mask-covered faces

Charlie Señase csenase@yahoo.com

Areflection of old that when someone’s face is half-covered with a hankie, a hold-upper is on the loose. And now, it’s back with a well-fashioned face-covering as mandatory safety net against deadly viruses that some conservatives consider as both physical and spiritual wake-up call. It takes COVID-19 pandemic to account this week for a total of 6.7 million dead with 664.1 million afflicted and over 13 trillion vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization. And this global health outlook appears in cadence with the widespread scandal and callous shamelessness of men to cover their faces.

Biblical Wickedness To Ponder

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on earth and that every intent of thoughts from his heart was only evil. And the LORD was sorry that He made man on earth and He was grieved in His heart to unleash the biblical floodwaters during Noah’s time (Genesis 6:5-6).

Prophet David told God: “A day in your court is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness (Psalm 84:10).

The danger of false teaching: “I listened and heard, but they do not speak aright; and no man repented of his wickedness, saying – What have I done? Everyone turned to his own course as the horse rushes into the battle ground” (Jeremiah 8:6).

The LORD told the Pharisees, “You make the outside of your cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39). They are hypocrites of filthiness full of unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evilmindedness, gossipers, backbiters, ungodly, violent, proud, boasters, manipulators, disobedient to parents, unloving, unforgiving and ungrateful. Those who have these traits are deserving of death (Romans 1:29-32).

Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and overflowing wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted WORD of God which will save our souls. Let us be doers of the WORD not hearers only deceiving ourselves (James 1:21-22).

And to keep ourselves abreast on who are the PH’s richest amid health and economic woes is on the latest Oxfam International yearend survey. The Sy family has a net worth of 12.6 billion US dollars followed by Manuel Villar, $7.8 billion; Enrique Razon, Jr., $5.6 billion; Lance Gokongwei family, $3.1 billion; Aboitiz family, $2.9 billion; Isidro Consunji family, $2.9 billion; Tony Tan Caktiong family, $2.6 billion; Jaime Zobel de Ayala family, $2.5 billion and Ramon Ang with $2.4 billion.

With their huge fortune, Oxfam PH Executive Director Erika Geronimo described it as “disheartening to see many are dying due to lack of health care while others experiencing hunger due to high cost of living, the rich increased their wealth during the pandemic.”

This brings us to the frequent power outages in areas served by the National Grid Corporation, the main hydropower source of private power firms like Colight and other electric cooperatives. It’s about time for NGCP’s top executive to officially sound-off and explain how to eradicate or minimize this problem. Unlike before that a power outage happened only when a transmitter tower is toppled down by bomb blasts. Who is to blame in a world of experts with all bright ideas with hidden agenda?

To all obedient and God-fearing people, the LORD who cannot lie promised to sustain their needs as in peace, provision and protection that ensure joy and contentment in life. Yet most still aspire to be rich amid Christ’s caution saying: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?” Still many ignore the LORD’s warning as they pursue their own cravings of worldly things. They believe that their silver and gold can save them in the end. MC